FAA moving toward easing restrictions on some devices

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government is moving toward easing restrictions on the use of some electronic devices during takeoff and landing.

An industry-labor advisory committee was supposed to make recommendations next month to the Federal Aviation Administration on easing restrictions on electronic devices. But now the FAA says the deadline will be extended to September.

The FAA says in a statement that committee members asked for extra time to finish assessing whether it is safe to lift restrictions.

The agency is under public and political pressure to ease the restrictions as more people use e-book readers, music and video players, smartphones and laptops. Use of electronic devices is prohibited when aircraft are below 10,000 feet over concerns they could create electromagnetic interference with critical aircraft systems.

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